Hot Topics:

Allison appointed to Lunenburg Planning Board despite some concerns

By Katina Caraganis , kcaraganis@sentinelandenterprise.com

Updated:
07/23/2014 06:38:10 AM EDT

LUNENBURG -- Despite concerns raised by the Planning Board about his professionalism and ability to get along with the other members of the board, Matthew Allison was appointed to a vacant seat Tuesday night until the annual election in May.

The vacancy came after longtime member Toby Bakaysa resigned earlier this month to pursue other endeavors. Allison previously served the remaining year on Robert Saiia's term.

The appointment was a joint one between the Board of Selectmen and the Planning Board. Ken Chenis, a member of the Planning Board, was not in attendance.

Planning Board member Nathan Lockwood said that while he believes Allison's heart is in the right place, he wasn't "prepared to support his renomination."

Lockwood said Allison's demeanor is "insufficiently respectful" of a member of the Planning Board.

"He does not have a high regard for our town counsel and reviewing engineers," Lockwood said.

He also questioned Allison's treatment of applicants.

Lockwood said he feared that Allison's views on legal counsel could put the town in a bad situation.

Planning Board member Damon McQuaid agreed, saying that while he believes Allison was good for the board when he served on it, he was better at bringing problems forward than finding solutions to those problems.

He also said he felt there were times Allison "derailed projects.

Advertisement

"

Board Chairman Joanna Bilotta-Simeone said she and the other members of the board were recommending Celeste McCain Stober, who played an instrumental role in helping the board draft a new solar bylaw. What McCain Stober lacked in experience, she made up for in her desire to learn, Bilotta-Simeone said.

She singled out Allison's "unprofessionalism" and his "not looking to be a team player" as some of the reasons why they could not support Allison.

She went on to say she felt the selectmen's unanimous support of Allison was a political move, an accusation the selectmen adamantly denied.

Selectmen Chairman Tom Alonzo said being on the Planning Board is time-consuming and he felt like Allison, a civil engineer, brings a lot to the table.

"It's unfortunate that it would be anyone's idea that this would be political," he said, addressing Bilotta-Simeone.

He said he was aware of the "conflicts" and "missteps" surrounding Allison, and said he does believe Allison's initial entry to the board may have been "counterproductive."

However, his engineering experience can only help until the next election in May, he said.

"We need someone to be productive in the short term," Alonzo added.

Selectman Paula Bertram agreed, saying she believed Allison when he said during his interview that he had a desire to change.

Bilotta-Simeone expressed her displeasure for the selectmen not taking the Planning Board's opinion under advisement.

"We put our trust in you to support the Planning Board's choice," she said.

As individual members, Alonzo said, they all had the opportunity to vote how they wanted.

Lockwood said the Planning Board already has technical help available, and that he felt that during Allison's yearlong stint on the board, he would be picking arguments over things that turned out to be insubstantial.

"He brings that level of inconsistency," Lockwood said. "It's not all positive on the balance sheet. This could have serious ramifications."

Welcome to your discussion forum: Sign in with a Disqus account or your social networking account for your comment to be posted immediately, provided it meets the guidelines. (READ HOW.)
Comments made here are the sole responsibility of the person posting them; these comments do not reflect the opinion of The Sentinel and Enterprise. So keep it civil.